Why Dogs Eat Grass
Drs. Foster & Smith Educational Staff
Q. Why do dogs eat grass?
A. Dogs commonly eat grass, and there are several explanations
that have been offered for this behavior. One, wild canids
(e.g., wolves and fox) eat all of an animal when they catch it.
Since they eat many herbivores (plant-eating animals), they
end up eating a lot of grasses and plants that were in the
intestines of these animals. In addition, they have been
known to eat certain berries and other plant material. Dogs
then, may eat grass because, in reality, it is a normal part of
their diet.
Many times, dogs will vomit after eating grass. Did they eat grass to make them
vomit? Or did they vomit because they ate grass? It is a mystery, but it seems that
some dogs may eat vegetation when they have an upset stomach.
The third reason - they just like it. Some dogs have certain species of grass or
plant material that they will search out and eat. We know a beagle who can pick
raspberries faster than his owner.
In any case, grass eating is basically a normal behavior, and is not of concern
unless your dog does it excessively.
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